Buddy's blog

Even with snow on me, I rock

I can still smell through the snow

      Ok, so,…I hear it's snowing.  I been around, but I've never been around this before.  It's cool., er,..cold…but I can handle this.  But when a dog goes out to do his business, there should not be steam rising from the spot he just did his business…jus' sayin'.  Thought I was on fire or somethin'.
MomLucy thinks it's so fun to take me out and let snow cover my head.  I think you have a brand new coat missy, and I have the same old one.
      The big news is that the little black poodle (aka her highness), has moved out!  No one to try and tell me what's what, no one to bark at, no one to….to….aw, I miss her already.  But don't tell Lucy's puppies that - they've been going to the pet store again.  They'll want to bring home some little, furry, annoying dog-creature.  Having another dog next door is one thing, but not in the same house.  Oh No…

Katie's favorite is a freakin' ewok

Can't believe this is Emily's favorite!
Did this dog just fall in the water or what - shame

Snow and stuff in Shanghai

do I look cold or what

It snowed steadily all day Thursday.  

It was really beautiful, and really cold.  It didn't snow enough to cover the ground, just the lawns and the trees, but melted on the sidewalks.  It may be the last snow we have this year.  I told the girls not to eat the ice because the air quality here is so poor, and the snow is very dirty.  But the girls had a great time making snow balls and throwing them at each other.

Chris

Sistas

Mercedes Benz ice rink

Wooaaaa!

Chris took Katie & Emily on a "father-daughter" day along with several other dads and daughters from Seasons Villas complex.  They went ice skating at the Mercedes Benz arena.  It was the first time skating for both girls and they loved it!  They're already planning to go again this week.

drummin….cool…

Chris played his drums at the Disney Shanghai party.  The party was a really big deal especially for all the Chinese employees.  It was their opportunity to celebrate with their coworkers.  There was a banquet and each department put on skits / shows.  I guess this is a very Chinese custom - for large, successful companies to host extravagant parties for the new year.  Some offices even hired choreographers to help them and had many practice sessions.  If the party is appears "cheap", the employees will talk about it.   The night of the party, Chris said there were about 500 people in the hall, and all the lighting, sound mixing, etc. were very professional.  

Chinese New Year part II

Chinese New Year is a really big deal…really big deal…

I didn't know much about Chinese New Year until I came here.  Chinese New Year is the first day of the lunar calendar, and is THE major holiday of year.  The last week has been spent filling red envelopes or "hong bao" to be given to those who have been helpful to you all year.  The girls have learned a lot about the various customs and celebrations and participated in the school show.  Katie and the rest of the 2nd graders all sang a traditional song in Mandarin.  Emily's entire 5th grade class performed a lion dance.  Emily played the drums, like father like daughter!

Lots of fireworks and firecrackers all last night, with the loudest at midnight. We even saw one of the gate guards lighting up their own box of fireworks, all the while with a cigarette dangling in his mouth.  And these are not the "Monterey Park-freedom fireworks" - not at all.  They are huge, light-up-the-sky professional-level fireworks.  These would never be sold in the US, much too dangerous.

KFC special deal bucket for NY with a string of firecrackers under the KFC logo

Budweiser in the "Year of the Snake" can

Duck gizzards

Duck feet

I added these last two images because I thought the smiling duck with "thumbs up" was a little too cutesy with the web feet and gizzards.  just saying…